Wright County Prosecutor John Tyrrell announces that on May 5, 2022, Judge Carter sentenced David Sanders on two counts of incest to 4 years in prison on each count to run consecutive. Once Sanders is released from prison, he will be required to register as a sex offender.
During a different court proceeding testimony, it was discovered that Defendant Sanders had been having inappropriate contact with his stepdaughter. This prompted an investigation. During the investigation, a search warrant was obtained for electronic devices due to allegations of recordings of the interactions and text messages. The victim stated it went on for several months. During an interview, Sanders admitted to the sexual activity with his stepdaughter but said it was consensual on separate occasions. The case was investigated by the Wright County Sheriff’s Office and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Prosecutor John Tyrrell states: “This is a unique case in how it was discovered. The victim lived with her abuser. It was not discovered until a court hearing in an unrelated matter. I am very pleased that we were able to obtain a conviction and prison sentence without the vicitm having to go through a lengthy trial, which is a great result.”